


hooked on all these feelings

by dancinghopper



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: DID SOMEONE SAY 3000 WORDS OF CHERYL BEING PART OF THE GANG BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, F/F, Merry Christmas, archie/jug if u squint, cheryl is a lesbian and ronnie is bi as fuck, mariah carey features prominently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 06:49:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13141308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancinghopper/pseuds/dancinghopper
Summary: The gift clutched under her arm suddenly seemed too big, too ostentatious, as if Ronnie would take one look at the shiny paper and see Cheryl’s crush written all over it.





	hooked on all these feelings

**Author's Note:**

> fluff. lots of it.

_December 22 nd_

As Cheryl knocked on Veronica’s door, she refused to let herself show any signs of hesitation, even though her insides were jumping up and down. The gift clutched under her arm suddenly seemed too big, too ostentatious, as if Ronnie would take one look at the shiny paper and see Cheryl’s crush written all over it. 

“Cheryl!” Cried Veronica as she opened the door, wrapping her arms around her and swaying side to side. “I’m so glad you came!”

Cheryl blinked, unsure what to do with her arms. Did she hug her back? Was that too obvious? She settled on a very awkward pat, but thankfully Veronica didn’t seem to notice her internal panic.

“Come in, come in,” she gushed as she ushered her inside. “You can put your gift under the tree!”

Veronica’s apartment looked, for lack of a better word, like Christmas. Hermione and Hiram must have allowed their daughter to decorate, because the tree was haphazard and had far too many ornaments on it, and the tinsel was crooked. Ronnie had mixed white lights and multi-coloured ones, and the result was something of an eyesore. 

She blinked several times. “Nice tree.” 

Jughead snorted from his place on the sofa. “It grows on you.”

Cheryl glared at him, feeling stupid. She’d been so nervous about spending Christmas with Veronica that she’d forgotten the others would be there, and now she felt significantly under-prepared.

“Leave my tree alone,” whined Veronica, disappearing from Cheryl’s side so she could hit Jughead upside the head. “It’s festive.”

He gave a mock salute. “Yes ma’am.”

Veronica vanished into the kitchen, leaving just Cheryl and Jughead in the lounge. At a loss for what to do, she walked awkwardly over to the tree and bent down to place her present underneath it. There, it joined a raggedy parcel tied with string, a silver box with a bow atop it, a small present covered in ungodly amount of sticky-tape (from Archie, obviously), a squishy-looking package wrapped in candy-cane paper and a square present covered in indigo paper with silver stars. She smirked to herself as she easily identified who each present was from, a little concerned as to why she knew this band of misfits so well.

“Hey, Jug…,” that was Archie, voice trailing off as he caught sight of her. “Oh, hey Cheryl. Happy Christmas.”

She beamed at him, even though she was feeling more out of place by the second. “Hello, Archiekins. Need help in the kitchen?”

He nodded, grinning slightly. “I was gonna ask Jug, but if you’re offering…”

“But of course,” she said, since that was where Veronica was. “I make an _excellent_ potato salad.”

She followed him into the kitchen, and quickly realised that this was where the party was happening. Betty, Kevin, Veronica and now her and Archie were all crammed in, each working on their own part of dinner, although the three were all laughing and chatting together. Veronica had donned a paper hat and also apparently made Kevin wear a Santa hat, because he was scratching at his head furiously as though it itched. Veronica lit up at the sight of her, though she tried not to read too much into that.

“Cheryl,” grinned Veronica, “Did Archie force you to come help out?” 

“Jughead was – busy,” she explained, awkwardly hovering at the edge of the fray, unsure as to where to go. 

“Well, good,” said Veronica, gesturing to the plate of gingerbread men in front of her, “I’m in desperate need of assistance.”

Cheryl smiled, walking over and hopping onto a stool opposite Veronica. “What kind of designs do you want?”

Veronica shrugged. “Whatever strikes your fancy. As you can see, I am _extremely_ talented.”

She held up one of the cookies, which was barely discernible as a man. Cheryl bit her lip to hide her laughter, but she couldn’t hide the small giggle that escaped her. Ronnie’s eyes sparkled at the sound.

She picked up the icing and began to detail out a Christmas sweater, only looking up when Veronica spoke again.

“That’s just not fair,” she pouted, “I didn’t know you could draw.”

Cheryl paused – her skill in art was something she’d kept hidden for most of her teenage life, but part of her wanted Veronica to know about it anyway. She was saved having to answer by Mariah Carey’s _All I Want for Christmas_ , which distracted Veronica completely by the first few bars.

“Oh, _god_ ,” moaned Betty from where she was prepping the meat, “Not this _again_.”

“Mariah is a _classic_ ,” objected Kevin, pointing his potato peeler at Betty. “You can _never_ hear her too much.”

Veronica nodded in agreement. “Honestly, Betty, you come into _my_ house, disrespect _my_ Christmas tunes…”

The conversation trailed off as Betty and Archie resumed their discussion, punctuated by remarks from Kevin. Opposite her, Veronica was singing softly to the tune as she iced another gingerbread man. Unable to help herself, Cheryl felt her gaze go directly to her lips, incapable of looking away from the dark red lipstick adorning them. Veronica must have felt her eyes on her, because she looked up at her with a smirk.

“ _All I want for Christmas is you_ ,” she sang teasingly, and Cheryl felt her heart contract – if only that were true. Before she knew what was happening, Veronica had pulled her off her seat and round to her side, trying to get her to dance. Heat pooled in her cheeks as she tried to stutter out a protest, but Ronnie wouldn’t have it, instead spinning her out and crooning out the high note very poorly.

“– Is… Youuuu-OOOOO-ooooo-OOHHH,” she sang, forgetting all about Cheryl to instead belt it out in a very dramatic fashion. There were cries of annoyance from the kitchen. 

“My _ears_ ,” groaned Betty. 

“Jesus!” Exclaimed Archie.

“Completely _butchered_ it,” lamented Kevin, staring at Veronica in disgust.

Jughead suddenly appeared in the doorway, a rather convincing look of worry on his face. “Did someone cut a finger off?”

They all dissolved into laughter, and it was with a warm feeling in her chest that Cheryl realised she was part of it.

* * *

Jughead had bought her a copy of _In Cold Blood_ , since he claimed it was a crime that she’d never read it. The smile she gave him in return was genuine, but not because of the gift – rather, because it implied that she’d be around in future to hear his many references. But then, of course, it was time to pass on her gift, and nerves quickly took over.

Her hands shook slightly as she handed the parcel to Veronica. She’d chosen the red paper to match her lipstick, but that suddenly seemed ridiculous, or like she was trying to _seduce_ her, and oh god, what if she didn’t like it –

Veronica tore off the wrapping, revealing the felt blue case. Cheryl felt words bubble up in her throat of their own accord.

“It’s okay if you don’t like it,” she blurted, sitting on her hands so she wouldn’t fidget. “I just, remembered you saying you liked my brooches, and I thought, well…”

Veronica had opened the case and was now staring at the contents with a dazed look on her face. “It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, and Cheryl stifled a sigh of relief. Ronnie looked up at her with that sparkle in her eye, and reached across to put her hand on Cheryl’s knee.

“Thank you,” she said genuinely and with a smile, and Cheryl nodded, not trusting herself to speak without blurting out a declaration of love. Ronnie attached the silver grasshopper to her dress, smiling happily down at it for a second. The small emeralds on its body glinted in the Christmas lights, making it look alive, which was what had drawn Cheryl to it in the first place. Beautiful and still, but bursting with energy and passion. 

“No problem,” she finally managed, relieved when Ronnie changed the subject and passed her own gift to Betty.

* * *

 

“I don’t understand why we can’t watch a _gay_ movie,” whined Veronica as Archie flipped through Netflix. The redhead rolled his eyes, since this was the third time she’d objected to his movie choice.

“Because there _aren’t_ any, Ronnie,” he replied, and Veronica stuck her bottom lip out.

“This is homophobia,” she pouted, crossing her arms and falling back against the couch. She'd eaten six roast potatoes and second helpings of everything else, and all she really wanted to do was take a nap. “Just put _Love, Actually_ on.”

In the armchair on her left, Jughead screwed up his face. “Instead of _The Grinch_? Are you insane?” 

She poked her tongue out in retaliation. “ _Love, Actually_ is a classic, Jughead.” 

“She’s right,” said Archie, “I’m fine with it.” 

“Well, you would be,” muttered Jug.

“I think _While You Were Sleeping_ ,” called Betty from the kitchen, where she was making hot chocolate. Suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be helping, Veronica pulled herself up so she could see over the back of the couch.

“Do you want a hand, Betts?” She asked, then turned to Jughead. “Go help Betty with the drinks, Grinch.”

“Why?”

“It’s punishment for not liking _Love, Actually_.”

“Who doesn’t like _Love, Actually_?”

Cheryl emerged from Veronica’s room, and Veronica felt like she’d been hit by a ton of bricks. Since the older girl hadn’t planned on staying over originally, she’d had to borrow a pair of Veronica’s pyjamas and also, apparently, Veronica’s blue sweater. The icy colour made her hair seem even brighter than usual, and sans-makeup she somehow still managed to look like an ethereal goddess. Her mouth opened like a fish.

“Um. Jughead,” she blabbed out, hurriedly standing. “Here, why don’t you sit down? I’ve got to help Betty, anyway.”

“ _Whipped_ ,” muttered Jughead as she rushed past him, and she resolved to use salt instead of sugar in his drink.

* * *

They had eventually all resigned to watching _Love, Actually_ , as Veronica had been sure they would, and she settled down on the floor on a beanbag to watch. Betty had offered to squish up next to her on the couch, but this way if she tilted her head just right she brushed against Cheryl’s legs.

God, she really _was_ whipped.

Cheryl didn’t say much until _The Walking Dead_ ’s character (Ronnie couldn’t remember his name) turned up at Keira Knightley’s door, and Betty blew her top.

“This is so _ridiculous_ ,” she cried, “She’s _married_ , to his _best friend_ , what the _hell_?”

Cheryl hummed in agreement. “He’s so selfish.”

Veronica frowned, thinking of her own stupid crush on Cheryl. “How come?”

Though she couldn’t see her, she imagined Cheryl rolling her eyes.

“Oh, Ronnie,” she said, and patted her head, “He dumps his feelings on her, _knowing_ she won’t return them, and makes her feel guilty for something that isn’t even her fault, all under the guise of ‘ _closure_ ’.”

“ _Thank you!_ ” Betty exclaimed, gesturing wildly at Cheryl. “ _Finally,_ someone who doesn’t think it’s romantic!”

Veronica shrugged, playing with the hem of her shirt and feeling uncomfortable. “Well, I suppose when you put it like that… oh, hush, this bit’s good!”

She grinned widely as Colin Firth proposed to Aurelia, leaning back against Cheryl. Her hand hadn’t moved from the top of her head, and Ronnie felt her nails clench slightly when Aurelia said ‘yes’, before they moved to stroke her hair. 

Hardly daring to move, Veronica stayed tense for the rest of the movie, disappointed when Cheryl’s hand disappeared as Betty turned the lights on.

“I know this is totally lame,” said Archie, “But do you guys wanna go to bed now?”

Veronica laughed at Jughead’s scandalised look. “It’s only ten!”

Archie threw his arms up. “I’m tired!”

“I think it's a good idea,” said Veronica, patting his knee consolingly. “Betty has to be up early to help her mom get ready for Christmas, anyway.” 

After some slight changes to sleeping arrangements now that they had an extra person, they all crammed into Veronica’s room. 

“I still don’t know why someone didn’t take your mom and dad’s bed,” said Kevin suddenly into the darkness, causing a chorus of groans.

“ _Because_ ,” she whined for the third time, “That ruins the _fun_.”

Squished in-between Betty and Cheryl on her bed, she did wonder briefly whether he was right, but there wasn’t any way she was going to move now that they’d finally gotten into place.

“Jug, your knee is literally digging into my back,” said Archie in a tired voice.

There was a large yawn. “Shut up and go to sleep,” said Jughead, but there was a shuffling noise that Veronica suspected meant he’d rearranged himself. And he called _her_ whipped. 

As they all drifted off, it suddenly occurred to Veronica that she was actually going to have to sleep with Cheryl literal millimetres from her. She stared up at the ceiling.

Oh, _shit_.

* * *

 

Cheryl couldn’t sleep, and it was only sixty percent because of Veronica.

Well, seventy.

Okay, so _maybe_ it was eighty percent, but god, give her a break. After staring at the wall for ten minutes she finally resolved to get up and maybe watch something on Veronica’s TV to tire herself out. It was pitch black in Veronica’s room, so it was with great difficulty that she manoeuvred herself out, fairly certain that she’d almost stepped on Kevin at one point.

There was a certain eerie stillness to the lounge room, and Cheryl suddenly felt unsure of herself. Maybe she should have just sucked it up and stayed in bed.

The window Veronica had forgotten to close showed that it was snowing outside. Cheryl had always loved the snow, and she remembered sitting up one night with Jason to watch it fall. Not really sure what she was doing, she picked her coat off the hook on the door, slipped on her shoes and went out onto the balcony to stare up at the stars.

It was gorgeous. She pulled her coat tighter around her as she shivered, head still tilted to the sky. Riverdale was so quiet at this time of night, and high up it was almost like none of the bad things that year had happened.

“Cheryl?”

She jumped, jerking around to see Veronica hovering hesitatingly by the sliding door. “Are you alright?" 

Cheryl nodded, blushing. “Sorry I couldn’t, um – snow.”

She shut her eyes. God, she sounded like such a fool. When she opened them again, Veronica was standing beside her, shuffling on the cold ground. She stayed silent for a moment, and then:

“We should go inside,” she murmured, “It’s cold.”

“Blossoms don’t feel the cold,” replied Cheryl, turning back to face the town.

“Well, Lodges do,” said Veronica softly as she pulled the sleeves of her duffel coat down over her knuckles. Despite what she said, she didn’t move to go back inside, so Cheryl stayed put, watching the snowflakes fall. 

After a few moments, Veronica spoke again. “I was, um, I was thinking about what you said, earlier. About Walking Dead.”

Cheryl looked over at her in confusion, while Veronica’s cheeks went red.

“Sorry, the cue-card guy. In the movie.”

“Oh.”

Veronica turned away from her, looking up and out at the stars. “Like, yeah, what he did was selfish, I guess, ‘cause he did it so he could get over his own feelings. But if – if Keira Knightley wasn’t married, if he’d done it before, then he’d be… he’d be doing it for the chance that they could have something great, and that wouldn’t be…”

She huffed out a breath, and Cheryl watched as it swirled in the cold air.

“It wouldn’t be selfish. Would it?”

Cheryl bit her lip and followed Veronica’s gaze so she didn’t have to look at her. She’d meant what she said about the movie, because it was how she felt about her own feelings. Telling Veronica would be selfish, and would cause a whole other host of problems. She’d have to leave the group so Veronica wasn’t uncomfortable, and go back to Ginger and Tina, and she wasn’t sure she could handle that.

“No,” she said softly, wondering vaguely if Veronica was talking about Archie and worrying that saying anything more would reveal her feelings. “I guess not.” 

“Right,” said Veronica beside her, and drew a very shaky sounding breath. “Okay, then.”

In her peripheral, Cheryl saw her turn to face her. Oh, god. She _knew_. Veronica knew and she was going to very politely tell Cheryl that she only saw her as a friend and maybe it would be better if they didn’t see each other anymore.

Blinking, she turned towards her, folding her arms as a barrier.

“I like you. A lot.”

 _Here it was. The ‘but’._  

“And, um,” Veronica smacked her lips together, “The thing is, I want you to have a good support system, and friends, and I didn’t wanna muck that up, but I, uh. Like you. A lot. Romantically.”

_Wait, what?_

Cheryl blinked. “Huh?”

Panic seeped into Veronica’s face as her eyes glazed over, and she stepped away. “Oh god, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t’ve – I just, um, but forget it, we can pretend this never happened, it’s fine.” 

“You… like me?” Beneath her ribcage, Cheryl’s heart thundered so loudly she almost missed Veronica’s reply.

“Yes,” she said, looking down at her feet. “But it’s okay if you don’t feel the same. I won’t hold it against you.”

“What if I do?” 

Veronica’s head snapped up, eyes locking with Cheryl’s. “What?” 

Cheryl breathed in deeply, blood pounding. “What if I do? Like you. Romantically.”

The look in Veronica’s eyes was one of such blinding, astounded hope that Cheryl actually felt a lump rise in her throat. The other girl stepped towards her so she was in her space, hands rising to hold the collar of her coat. She was going to kiss her, and Cheryl was flying, shooting up into the sky until she could see millions and billions of stars, and the galaxies in Veronica’s eyes, and she was never going to come down, she was going to fly forever, and – 

“If you did,” said Veronica gently, tilting her chin upwards, “I think I’d do something… like… _this_.”

And with that, surrounded by falling snowflakes and illuminated by starlight, Veronica Lodge finally kissed Cheryl Blossom.

If Cheryl was flying before, now she was falling, deeper and deeper while the blood rushed in her ears and she drowned in Veronica Lodge, losing herself in the warmth of her body and her hands around her neck, short nails making tiny crescent marks in her shoulders. Cheryl tugged her closer with shaky hands, letting her mouth fall open and god, this was what heaven was. 

When Veronica finally pulled back, it was to linger by Cheryl’s mouth, her breathing mixing with hers. “Let’s go to bed,” she whispered, and Cheryl allowed herself to be pulled inside, privately thinking that she’d never be cold again.

**Author's Note:**

> merry christmas!!!!!!!! <3


End file.
